Thank God I'm Atheist

Death comes for all of us, but what does grief look like without belief in an afterlife? Frank is joined by Rachel for a personal conversation about scattering her father's ashes five years after his death, finding closure without religion, and whether mourning is different when this life is the only one we have.
Also this week: Christian men create women-free gyms to avoid "lust," Kim Davis is accused of hiding assets to dodge paying a civil rights judgment, a Texas deputy uses a massive license-plate camera network to track a woman who had an abortion, OpenAI faces a wrongful death lawsuit after ChatGPT allegedly encouraged a vulnerable user toward suicide, an airline finally says "enough" to an in-flight evangelist, and a West Virginia pastor would rather empty his food bank than accept donations from LGBTQ-supporting organizations.

Pioneer Day is one of Utah's biggest celebrations, but how much of the Mormon pioneer story is history? And how much is mythology? Frank and Dan take a fresh look at the conflict that drove the Mormons west, why the word "persecution" doesn't tell the whole story, and how the familiar handcart-and-heroism narrative leaves out a lot of the truth.
Also this week: preparations begin for the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus' baptism, two Catholic nuns launch an order dedicated to helping survivors of church abuse, the USDA faces a lawsuit over explicitly Christian government emails, a new poll reveals what Jewish Americans think about Israel and Gaza, West Virginia stands firm on school vaccine requirements despite pressure for religious exemptions, and a prominent Black Baptist leader argues that not voting is a sin.

This week's final segment tackles a surprisingly tricky question: what is a religious conversion? Does becoming an atheist count, or is it something entirely different? We explore where Americans are actually moving religiously, why the "nones" continue to grow, and what it really means to change (or leave) your faith.
Also this week: a Utah man is arrested after allegedly plotting an attack on Muslims, Idaho's abortion laws drive another community's OB-GYNs away, Brazil's evangelical boom gets blamed for the national soccer team's decline, a Christian tech company asks investors to keep the faith, and Orthodox Jews lobby for permanent daylight saving time.

Frank and Dan explore why modern Mormon temple interiors resemble upscale hotel lobbies rather than awe-inspiring sacred spaces. They compare Mormon architecture with historic cathedrals, discuss the church's increasing architectural homogenization, and argue that Mormon aesthetics have become more corporate than spiritual. We also tease organizing a TGIA group visit when the renovated Salt Lake Temple opens to the public.
Also this week: Turkey bars an LGBTQ+ cruise from coming ashore, Indiana's lieutenant governor declares America a Christian nation, the Church of England stumbles into a conversion therapy controversy, a new poll reveals which religions Americans like (and really don't like), a MAGA preacher insists Jesus had a six-pack, and a Catholic hospital sale restores access to reproductive healthcare previously blocked by church doctrine.
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How do you tell the difference between a prophet and someone experiencing a delusion? This week, Frank and Dan explore the uneasy intersection of religion and mental illness, asking how believers decide whether a voice in someone's head is divine revelation or a symptom of psychosis.
Also this week: the Vatican excommunicates hundreds of traditionalist Catholics, a Mormon general authority apologizes after racist remarks about African American spirituals, Christian missionaries descend on Trump's sparsely attended America 250 celebration, FLDS leader Samuel Bateman is convicted on additional child abuse charges, scientists create a synthetic cell that can grow and divide, and the San Francisco Archdiocese agrees to a $395 million clergy abuse settlement.
Support the show! www.thankgodimatheist.com/donate